"In August 2005, Alston made national, and indeed international, news headlines regarding the town's apparent lack of womenfolk. The news reports claim a ratio of 10 men to every woman in the town. A group of young men from Alston, led by a Mr. Vince Peart, began distributing leaflets across the north of England and set up a website, all in an effort to persuade women to come to Alston to find love."